Method for recognition determination and localization of at least one arbitrary object or space

ABSTRACT

A method for recognition, determination and localization of at least one arbitrary object or space and the picking up of said object, by at least on robot, in particular, a service robot, which operates independently on the base surface. The method is achieved, whereby the robot is oriented within at least one room by room co-ordinates and/or co-ordinates of arbitrary objects in the room, transmitted to the robot by at least one sensor element, in particular, a transponder or transmitter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method for identifying, determining,localizing at least one arbitrary object and/or room and for picking upthe at least one object using a robot, particularly a service robot,which is conveyed independently on a foundation, and to a system forcarrying out the method.

Such methods and systems are known on the market and are in common usein a wide variety of forms and versions.

In particular, mobile platforms, robots, service robots or the like areknown which are equipped with extremely complex environment detectionsystems, such as ultrasound scanners, laser scanners or the like.

In addition, such mobile platforms contain image processing systems, forexample for identifying, scanning in or capturing data for objects inrooms. Corresponding mobile platforms are also known which haveenvironment identification devices for identifying particular objects orthe like.

So that such mobile platforms and robots can be conveyed independentlyin different rooms, they frequently have associated position-findingsystems. These are inaccurate and need to be realigned often.

In addition, particularly such position-finding systems require exactcontrol and, in particular, programming in order to move these mobileplatforms, particularly robots, to the desired location. Such robots arefrequently provided with appropriate motion sensors for identifying anobstacle, for example.

A drawback of the conventional mobile platforms, particularly robots, isthat although such environment detection systems, image processingsystems and position-finding and motion systems are known on the marketin a variety of forms and versions, the complexity of the technology andthe extremely high manufacturing costs mean that they are notmarketable. Particularly for the consumer, for example as a household oroffice aid, such mobile platforms are not at all suitable, since theyare too expensive to buy and are too complex to use.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,832 describes a system for transporting goods usinga movable module which can be conveyed in relation to a second vehiclefor the purpose of transferring goods. So that the vehicles can be movedexactly in relation to one another, a plurality of different systemsusing transmitters and receivers and using lasers and bar codes arerequired.

DE 299 12 726 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,121 describe driverless vehicleswhich can be conveyed on rails and are provided with a transponderelement for determining their position at quite particular positions.

The present invention is based on the object of providing a method and asystem for identifying, determining, localizing at least one arbitraryobject and/or room which eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks andwhich provide a system, particularly a method, for picking up arbitraryobjects in an arbitrary room and dropping them off or providing them atdesired locations in a simple, exact and inexpensive manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing object is achieved by virtue of the present inventioninvolves every room being allocated at least one sensor element,particularly a transponder, which contains a quite specific piece ofinformation, if appropriate in encrypted form. This key or code can beused to program an associated room into a robot, particularly a servicerobot, said programming relating, in particular, to the room'scoordinates or to coordinates of fixed devices, shelves, beds or thelike. In this way, the sensor element sends these coordinates, ifappropriate using the code, as information to the robot, which can thentake the room coordinates as a basis for orienting itself and moving inthis room on the basis of the signal from the sensor element ortransponder. On the basis of its bearing with respect to thetransponder, the robot identifies how it can move in the room. The roomcoordinates can be stored in the robot and can be activated only by thesensor element.

Another advantage of the present invention is that each arbitrary objectsituated in the household or office, for example, is allocated atransponder which likewise contains a particular key.

The transponder sends this key to the robot. The robot stores the datafor the individual objects, said stored data relating, in particular, tothe name of the object, its size, its weight, and possibly its transportbearing. This allows the robot to identify accurately which object canbe found where and at what location in a room.

If one or other object needs to be picked up, the robot can be conveyedindependently as appropriate, with other objects which may be in the waybeing moved out of the way by the robot as appropriate, or the fixedobjects, such as tables, being bypassed as a result of the spatial sizecoordinates identified by the robot.

This provides a simple and very inexpensive way for any arbitrary objectto be identified, localized and associated and to be picked up by therobot, particularly by its gripping device.

It is also possible to use the robot to find a particular object whichis missing by virtue of the object sending an appropriate signal to therobot, and the room in which the object is situated being able to belocalized in this way.

Such a robot can also be used to perform particular actions and worksteps, such as tidying up the household or office and laying the table;furthermore, this can be done in selectable and programmable steps.

By way of example, it can remove single plates from a shelf or from acupboard, put them on a table, add corresponding cups or the like, etc.Following a meal, for example, the robot can, upon an appropriatesignal, clear the table, if appropriate fill the dishwasher and empty itagain when it has finished its wash cycle, or the like. In this context,the invention has no set limits.

It has also been found to be particularly advantageous to allocate everyobject at least two sensor elements, particularly transponders.

This allows an arbitrary object, particularly a transport bearing forthe object, to be accurately defined and determined, since two differentvectors transmit the signals to the robot, particularly a service robot.

On the basis of these two vectors, the object, particularly the bearing,and also a transport bearing for any arbitrary object, can be determinedexactly and accurately.

In this regard, by way of example, the robot can pick up a book from atable and put it on a shelf correctly, with the spine of the book facingoutward. In this case, the individual transponders are arranged at asgreat a distance apart as possible, if appropriate on different sides ofthe object. The intention will also be to allocate a plurality ofcorresponding sensor elements, particularly transponders, to the objectin order to be able to determine its transport bearing exactly.

The present invention provides a “local positioning system” which can beused to localize and find the position of the objects using thetransmitter or sensor element.

In this case, by way of example, the transmitter, particularly thesensor element, can be provided or arranged in any room, with a receiverbeing connected to a personal computer, for example.

In particular, this system can also be connected to a personal computerdirectly, without a “service robot”, in order to find individual objectsin a room.

In addition, particular information about the objects, such as theparameters described above, can also be entered and defined using apersonal computer, for example.

In this case, the present invention is also intended to cover, by way ofexample, the entry of fixed objects or the coordinates of one or morerooms into the PC. In particular, the fixed objects and the rooms withcorrespondingly fixed objects can be separated from movable objects.

All fixed objects and also the coordinates of each individual room canbe entered in advance into the computer and/or into the service robot,for example. The latter then has exact knowledge of where it can moveand identifies the coordinates of fixed objects as obstacles, and alsothe individual rooms for moving.

In addition, all movable objects can be entered manually and/orautomatically into the personal computer once, for example.

Appropriate scanners or bar codes can also be used to enter thisinformation directly into a computer in data form, particularlyregarding the parameters of size, weight, transport bearing, dropoffplatform, name of the object, etc.

In the case of the present “local positioning system”, the robot, thefinding of objects and the determination of particular locations forobjects can all be controlled centrally, for example from a personalcomputer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages, features and peculiarities of the invention can befound in the description below of preferred exemplary embodiments andwith reference to the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematically illustrated side view of an inventivesystem for identifying, determining and localizing an arbitrary objectand/or room using a robot;

FIG. 2 shows a schematically illustrated side view of the system shownin FIG. 1 as another exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3 shows a schematically illustrated plan view of a plurality ofrooms in which a robot, particularly a service robot, can be conveyed;

FIG. 4 shows an at least partially perspective view of an objectequipped with appropriate sensor elements, particularly transponders.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIG. 1, an inventive system R₁ is illustrated foridentifying, determining and localizing at least one arbitrary object1.1 to 1.5 has a central sensor element 2.1, particularly a transmitter,which can be arranged, by way of example, on a wall 3 in a room 4.

The room 4 contains a robot 5 which can be conveyed on a foundation 6.The robot 5, particularly a service robot, can be conveyed independentlyand is provided with at least one gripping device 7.

Another important feature of the present invention is that every object1.1 to 1.5 has at least one allocated sensor element 2.2, particularly atransponder.

The transponder stores a particular code, numerical code, digits or thelike, with this code being sent by the transponder when an appropriatesignal is emitted by the robot.

For each specific transponder or code, the robot 5 stores acorresponding association with an object 1.1 to 1.5 in the form of data.The sensor element 2.2 can be used to store each arbitrary object 1.1 to1.5 in the robot 5 in the form of data, particularly regarding theparameters for the objects 1.1 to 1.5 including name, size, weight,transport bearing, dimensions, etc.

In this case, each sensor element 2.2 on each arbitrary object 1.1 to1.5 can be allocated, by way of example, a name for the object 1.1 to1.5 and also a dropoff position in an arbitrary room 4 in which theobject is normally situated. Particularly also by storing the size data,particularly the size dimensions of the object 1.1 to 1.5, and theopportunity to use the sensor element 2.2, particularly the transponder,to identify where the object 1.1 to 1.5 is situated in the room, therobot 5 identifies how it can get to the selected object 1.1 to 1.5without corresponding obstacles (not shown) or any other objects beingin the way.

Particularly as a result of the allocation of, by way of example, a sizewindow for every object, for example in the form of a table, the robot 5identifies that it can bypass the table in the room 4 in which the tableis situated in order to remove, by way of example, another arbitraryobject 1.1 with free access using the gripping device 7, and in order todrop off this object at another location, for example.

In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2, asystem R₂ is shown in which a sensor element 2.1 is used to transmit thecoordinates of the room 5 to the robot 5 centrally, so that the robot inthe room 5 identifies all the dimensions of the room and can orientitself for conveyance in this room.

In addition, it receives via the sensor element 2.1, particularly thetransmitter, the corresponding signal for a specific room, andparticularly the room coordinates.

At the same time, the sensor element 2.1 can also be used to localizeany arbitrary object 1.1 to 1.5, to identify it and, in particular, topass it on to the robot 5.

As a result, in the manner described above, every object is identified,and the size and location of the object in the room 4 or on thefoundation 6 is localized for the purpose of picking up said objectshould this be required, for example, and dropping it off at aparticular, selectable point.

Similarly, by virtue of the localization of the individual objects 1.4and 1.5, as shown in FIG. 5, for example, the robot 5 can move past theindividual objects since its size and its size coordinates and positionare known.

To reach a particular object 1.4, the object 1.5 can also be taken awayor moved aside beforehand, for example. Accordingly, FIG. 3 shows howthe robot 5 can move freely through the individual rooms 4, with thesecoordinates of an individual room specifically being made available tothe robot 5 on the basis of the individual sensor elements 2.1 (notshown in more detail here) in each room.

This allows the robot 5 to use these coordinates, which may be enteredbeforehand, to orient itself in each individual room. The individualsensor elements 2.2, which are not shown in the present case, can beused to identify and to find the position of any arbitrary object 1.1 to1.5, so that the robot can bypass these objects or can pick them up ifdesired.

So that a particular bearing and position, firstly for picking up theobject 1.1 to 1.5, and a particular bearing for transporting,particularly a transport bearing, can be identified, it has been foundto be particularly advantageous to equip an object 1.6 with, by way ofexample, two sensor elements 2.2 which are arranged at differentlocations on the object 1.6.

In this case, the two sensor elements 2.2, which define one and the sameobject 1.6 in coded form, are actually at different and, if possible,separated positions, so that the object 1.6 can be localized andpositioned exactly as a result.

This allows the object to be picked up very easily, for example, and, inparticular, allows the object 1.6, for example, to be dropped off easilyas a book on a bookshelf in this way.

In this way, the robot 5, particularly a service robot, is given theinformation to pick up the object 1.6 close to the transponder 2.2,particularly in the area of the spine of a book, in order then to dropoff said object on a bookshelf, for example.

In the case of the present invention, any desired dropoff point can beallocated to any desired object 1.1 to 1.6 under software control. Usingan appropriate command, the robot 5 can then go to the individualobjects 1.1 to 1.6 which are not at their location, particularly intheir room, where they ought to be and can drop them off there.

This can be used to simplify tidying work considerably. In addition, afundamentally important feature of the present invention is that, by wayof example, finding or going to a particular desired object is verysimple.

In this case, only the object is entered into the robot. The position ofthe object can easily be found by the robot, or its position in the room4 can be indicated on a display. This will likewise fall within thescope of the present invention.

1. A method for identifying, determining, localizing at least onearbitrary object and/or room and for picking up the at least one objectusing a robot which is conveyed independently on a foundation,comprising orienting in a room a robot by means of a sensor elementcomprising a transponder or transmitter for transmitting to the robotroom coordinates and object-specific coordinates of an arbitrary objectsin the room.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a bearing forthe at least one arbitrary object is identified and localized and/oridentified by equipping said object with at least one sensor elementcomprising a transponder.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 2, whereinthe object's bearing is identified and/or localized and/or identified byproviding said object with at least one sensor element comprising atransponder, the transponder being used to transmit specific parametersfor the arbitrary object, including location, bearing, transportbearing, weight, size, type and name of the object.
 4. The method asclaimed in claim 1, including a plurality of objects wherein everyobject is equipped with at least one sensor element comprising atransponder, with form-specific and/or object-specific data includingcoordinates, size, bearing, weight, type and name of the object or roombeing entered, in encrypted form, in the respective sensor element. 5.The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor element is used totransmit the room-specific or object-specific data to the service robot,which evaluates these data for the purpose of independently moving in aroom in order to pick up or drop off or remove arbitrary objects, therobot using the room-specific data to calculate the bearing thereofitself.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein an arbitraryobject's particular bearing is identified by allocating at least twosensor elements to said object at different positions.
 7. The method asclaimed in claim 6, wherein a plurality of sensor elements on thearbitrary objects, are used to transmit various vectors in the form ofsignals to the robot in order to identify a particular bearing for theobject, to pick up said bearing, put it into a transport bearing, andthen to drop it off at any desired location.
 8. The method as claimed inclaim 7, wherein the room-specific and/or object-specific data,including coordinates of the room, size of the room, size, weight,transport bearing and dropoff location for the object, are stored in therobot, and an association code appropriately matched thereto is storedin the sensor element, wherein fixed objects and/or rooms being enteredas fixed variables in the robot and/or in a PC in order to determine apossible conveyance path.
 9. The method as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe object has at least two sensor elements comprising transponders atdifferent positions.
 10. A system for identifying, determining,localizing at least one arbitrary object and/or room for picking up theobject using a robot comprising a service robot, which can be conveyedindependently on an arbitrary foundation, wherein a robot is oriented ina room by allocating a sensor element comprising a transmitter foridentifying room coordinates and object-specific coordinates ofarbitrary objects with an associated sensor element in the room.
 11. Thesystem as claimed in claim 10, wherein location coordinates areidentified and a size for an arbitrary object is identified byallocating the sensor element thereto.
 12. The system as claimed inclaim 11, wherein the at least one sensor element, stores coded roomcoordinates for the robot and coordinates relating to the arbitraryobject including size, weight, transport bearing, dropoff location. 13.The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein by allocating each arbitraryobject at least one sensor element the object is localized in anarbitrary room independently by the robot or service robot.
 14. Thesystem as claimed in claim 13, wherein by allocating at least two sensorelements, to different positions on an arbitrary object it becomespossible to identify a transport bearing, for the object and also abearing for dropping off the object, using at least two differentlocation vectors.